Music Trade Review

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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
CONNECTICUT ASSOCIATION'S GOOD WORK.
How the Association Has Protected Members from Legislation Inimical to Their Interests—
Pertinent Remarks by Retiring President Cumming—An Association That Does Things—
Alfred Fox, the New Fresident, Intends That the Association Shall Make a Fine Showing.
The annual convention of the Connecticut their urgent co-operation. Dealers throughout
Piano Dealers' As ociation, held in Bridgeport the State kept the telephone and telegraph wire*
last week and referred to at some length in The hot and burdened the mails with their importu-
Review, was an occasion that should prove inter- nate appeals that the impending measure might
esting to piano dealers all over the country, for be stopped, voluntarily offering financial assist-
besides enjoying the distinction of being the only ance for almost any amount if only they might
State as ociation of dealers in the country, a not be obliged to suffer all the inflictions neces-
number of its methods of operation might profit- sarily incident to the compulsory recording of
ably be adopted by other organizations of piano leases.
men, even to the national bodies.
"The appointed day arrived and forty-two deal-
One of the most important functions of the
association has been to protect the members from
legislation inimical to their interest-, and it was
in this connection that the first meeting of the
dealers of Connecticut was held in Hartford on
March, 1907. On that occasion A. B. Clinton, the
well known dealer of New Haven, learned that a
bill was about to be introduced before the legis-
lature providing for the recording of all instal-
ment leases in the towns in which the .ales were
made and practically nullifying a previous act
wherein pianos, musical instruments and other
n;:med articles were exempt from the recording
provisions.
To quote from the address of the retiring presi-
dent, Pierson R. Cumming, made at the banquet
of the association:
"To change the existing law, as intended,
would nave meant expense, annoyance and often
serious embarrassment to the dealers, and infor-
mation of the pending legislation was quickly
made known by Mr. Clinton to the New Haven
dealers. The New Haven dealers immediately
PKESIDENT ALFRED FOX.
met and plans were formulated to get all the
piano dealers in Connecticut together at the ers, more than two-thirds of all the piano dealers
State Capitol in Hartford, to appear as a body in the State at that time, gathered together in
before the Judiciary Committee on the day set anxious conclave in response to the call. A meet-
by this committee for the hearing on the bill, ing was immediately held in the private office of
known as Hou?e Bill No. 515, the New Haven Commissioner Eaton, who courteously turned his
dealers also immediately employing eminent apartment over to our use. Consultation was
counsel to defend the dealers against the bill be- held with J. Birney Tuttle and Edward A. Harri-
man, the attorneys secured by the New Haven
fore the Judiciary Committee.
"A notice was prepared and sent by the M. dealers, and a plan of action adopted on their
Scnnenberg Piano Co. from their New Haven advice."
Regarding the success of the dealers in the ven-
office to every dealer in the State, apprising
11
the dealers were killed without expense in com-
mittee through the efforts of Mr. Tuttle as the
representative of the as ociation. Without a per-
manent organization the killing of the bills would
have meant the presence of a number of dealers
at the State Capitol, at considerable individual
expense, on each occasion. And the association
membership costs the dealer $3.
In their addresses at the banquet prominent
members of both the National Manufacturers' and
Dealers' as?ociations were warm in their praise
of the accomplishments of the Connecticut asso-
ciation and its working methods, especially in
regard to legal matters.
The accompanying illustration shows the coun-
terfeit presentment of the newly-elected presi-
dent of the association, Alfred Fox, and the mem-
bers of. the Connecticut Piano Dealers' Associa-
tion, snapped at one of the stopping places on
their automobile trip along the shore of the
Sound and through the beautiful country sur-
rounding Bridgeport, as guests of the dealers of
that city. One of the features of the speech of
Edward S. Payson at the banquet was the man-
ner in which he described the ride and painted a
vivid word picture of the beautiful scenes en-
joyed from the cars.
THE WANAMAKER SALE.
Nearly 400 Used Pianos Offered to Public and
154 Sold the First Day—An Imposing Array
Made on the Wanamaker Floors.
On Monday of this week began one of the
great Wanamaker sales of used pianos and oh
that day nearly four hundred second-hand instru-
ments, ranging from slightly used uprights and
grands to squares of ancient vintage, were of-
fered to the public at reduced prices, ranging
from $5 up. On Friday of last week the pianos
intended for the sale were ranged in the rear
of the twelfth gallery for inspection purposes
and made a most imposing sight stretching in
long rows and offering to the gaze of the visitor
some decidedly interesting instruments of dozens
of foreign and domestic makes and practically
every conceivable style. Each piano, no matter
how old or worn, had been put in excellent con-
dition in the commodious and well equipped re-
pair shops of the store. The groups were placed
for sale on the third gallery and as the occasion
was made much of in an advertising way a num-
ber of prospective buyers came to inspect the
instruments. According to Manager Chapman,
154 pianos were sold the first day, with the
prospect of cleaning up the entire lot before
the sale ends to-day, Saturday.
C. KURTZMANN & CO. ACTIVE.
Excellent Volume of Orders Being Received—
Retail Department Reports Progress.
OONNECTK 1 I IMAM) DEALERS' ASSOCIATION ON AUTOMOH1LE RIDE.
them and relating the substance of the impending
legislation, calling upon each dealer to act in self-
preservation and be at the State Capitol on March
12, 1907, at 11 o'clock a. m. In writing out the
call the idea occurred to the present secretary of
the association, Mr. Guion, that the time was at
hand for forming a permanent organization of
the piano dealers of Connecticut, and this Idea
was embodied in the notices sent.
"Every piano dealer in the State was justly
aroused. In every city practically every dealer
was calling on every other dealer and invoking
ture there is little more to be said. The entire
body waited upon the Judiciary Committee of the
legislature and tbe bill never passed the commit-
tee. Following the visit to the legislature steps
were immediately laken to form a permanent
organization, which has now entered upon its
fourth cuci/essful year of life.
The lesson learned by the Connecticut piano
men upon the fir.-t occasion of their getting to-
gether was not forgotten, and for the past year
they retained J. Birney Tuttle as attorney for
the association. Result: two bills unfavorable to
Reports from the factory of C. Kurtzmann &
Co., the well-known Buffalo, N. Y., piano manu-
facturers, are to the effect that the orders for
their pianos are coming in in very satisfactory
volume both by mail and from travelers. As a
result of these demands from the dealers the
plant is running at capacity, and from present
prospects will continue to do so for an indefinite
period to come.
Milo Melchers, who recently took charge of
the retail department of the company's business,
has also a very satisfactory report to make re-
garding the condition of the trade, stating that
there has been a substantial increase in the
volume of sales.
OPENS PIANO STORE IN LOUISVILLE.
Alfred Hess, a well-known music teacher of
Louisville, Ky., has opened piano warerooms on
Second street, between Walnut and Green, that
city. He has not announced all the lines he will
handle.
The Knight-Campbell Music Co. has opened a
general music store one door west of the Morgan
County National Bank, at Fort Morgan, Colo.